This invention generally relates to a method and system that can monitor and communicate positions of a mobile object by using a monitoring system, and more particularly to a method and system utilizing a software library to support multiple data formats and multiple protocols when communicating position information.
With the rise of chip technology, many devices (e.g., laptops) are getting smaller with higher capabilities. The mainframe computer of 30 years ago has less capability than current laptop computers. In addition, the advance of battery technology allows increased portability of various devices. The functions of the cellular phone also have been increasing, with some services now supporting Internet access through the cellular phone.
Technology continues to address many of today""s problems. One current problem is finding a missing item (e.g., a stolen car) or a missing or distressed person. Tracking of vehicles such as automobiles and trucks is known. For example, Trimble Navigation Limited produces an array of products, including a global positioning system (GPS) by which data from mobile vehicles is sent via a wireless network at regular intervals to a centrally located base station to track the vehicles.
Tremendous effort (money and manpower) also can be expended when searching for a missing person without ever finding that person. xe2x80x9cPersonal Locator Services Emergexe2x80x9d by Hiroaki Koshima and Joseph Hoshen (IEEE Spectrum, February 2000, vol. 37, no. 2, pp. 41-48) (hereinafter xe2x80x9cKoshimaxe2x80x9d), describes many implementations of a personal locator device, including those that use global positioning system (GPS), to locate the position of an individual with the device. The location of the individual with the personal locator device is obtained when a subscriber requests the individual""s location through a location service provider or when the panic button on the device is pressed. The personal locator device communicates its location to the location service provider, and the information about the location of the individual is communicated to the subscriber. The system in Koshima utilizes a service center that has to be contacted by a requester to locate a missing subscriber (e.g., a patient suffering from dementia). Further, Layson, Jr. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,014,080) describes how global positioning system (GPS) data from a body worn active and passive tracking device is sent via a wireless network to a centrally located base station.
There is a need for a remote position reporting device which sends properly formatted GPS data from mobile objects via a wireless network to any specified party using appropriate data formats and communication protocols such that the recipient (i.e., the person(s) in search of the mobile object) can read the location of the mobile object without having to depend on a base station or a location service provider to give the position of the mobile object.
Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide methods to improve the chances of finding a mobile object by transmitting, from a position reporting device, GPS data location periodically to a recipient in search of the mobile object. By communicating information about the mobile object""s position or positions directly to the recipient in search of the mobile object, there is a greater chance that the mobile object will be found.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a system for monitoring the position of a mobile object with a global positioning system (GPS) receiver, a monitoring system, and an Internet access module communicating the position directly to the recipient in search of the mobile object.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a system for communicating data obtained by monitoring the position of a GPS receiver to a remote recipient by transmitting data formats that ease the analysis of received data at the remote recipient.
The present invention achieves these and other objects by monitoring the positions of a remote position reporting device (e.g. a device including a GPS receiver) that can be part of or attached to any mobile object such as a child, a skier, a car and expensive items. In one embodiment, the obtained positions are collected, logged and communicated to a desired location by at least one of (1) a store-and-forward protocol (e.g., Internet e-mail) and (2) a direct-connection protocol (e.g., file transfer protocol (FTP)). The use of e-mail communication reduces the costs associated with communicating such data. The data can be communicated to the desired location at specified intervals. If necessary, direct connections between a monitored application and a monitoring system can be established in addition to, or instead of, the e-mail communication.
One advantage of the present invention is that the positioning information can be directed to the desired destination rather than to a central location. The present invention allows the location information of the subscriber to be directed to a home computer that may have mapping capability, showing the requester (1) where the subscriber is, (2) how quickly the subscriber is moving, and (3) in which direction the subscriber is moving. The system can likewise be used to track children coming home from school. Any abrupt departures from the path home could indicate that a monitored child is in trouble. With the present invention, there is no need to periodically contact a service center to determine the children""s location, unless it is so desired.
Another application of the device of the present invention is to utilize the device on persons entering dangerous situations (e.g., adventurous skiers who are likely to go to dangerous spots). The locations of the skiers can be reported directly to a rescue team. Should an avalanche occur, the rescue team will know whether or not the skiers escaped the path of the avalanche and, of those who did not escape, how many are to be rescued.
It is another object of the present invention to mount a remote position reporting device on or within a vehicle (e.g., a bus, boat, train, or taxi) such that the reporting device sends the position of the vehicle to a monitoring device without user intervention. The position information can be used to periodically update an estimated time of arrival.